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Child soldier issue makes the New York Times

The number of conflicts in which children are used as soldiers has dropped sharply in the past four years, to 17 from 27… The report, the first since 2004, in some ways reflects the now nearly universal consensus that children should not be used in combat.

But remarks from the actual report:

“This downward trend is more the result of conflicts ending than the impact of initiatives to end child soldier recruitment and use… Indeed, where armed conflict does exist, child soldiers will almost certainly be involved.”

The report also found that a handful of stubborn governments — including those in Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Somalia and Uganda — continued to use children in their armed forces and paramilitaries.

From figures in this earlier post, ten governments are still accused of using child soldiers.

The article also addresses reintegration:

The report also found major shortcomings in programs to reintegrate child combatants after conflicts end… In the Central African Republic… some 7,500 fighters were demobilized and given cash and training to start new lives. Only 26 children participated even though children were believed to make up a large portion of the fighters.